Ginger Beat

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Place 1 cup bulgur in a medium bowl and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Soak for at least 30 minutes, while you chop the vegetables and prepare the dressing. (Alternatively, boil 1 cup water, add 1/2 cup bulgur, remove from heat and let sit about 20 minutes.)

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Did you know that you can soak bulgur, rather than cooking it? Plus, it's a whole grain. With the recent heat wave in Denver, bulgur has become a favorite (along with chilled watermelon and ice cream).

Recipe

Place 1/2 cup bulgur in a medium bowl and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Soak for at least 30 minutes, while you chop the vegetables and prepare the dressing. (Alternatively, boil 1 cup water, add 1/2 cup bulgur, remove from heat and let sit about 20 minutes.)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place muffin cups in muffin tin(s) (I usually get about 20 muffins).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). Set aside.

In a large bowl, blend the butter and all but one tablespoon of the sugar. Stir in the eggs and grated orange peel.

In a small bowl, toss the cranberries with the remaining one tablespoon of sugar. Set aside.

Carefully stir in 1/2 of the dry ingredients into the large bowl. Then, stir in 1/3 of the yogurt. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients, followed by the remaining yogurt. Add the cranberries, stirring until just blended.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake until golden brown (about 25 t0 30 minutes). Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin to be sure the center of the muffins are done (the toothpick should come out clean). Set on a wire rack to cool.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

I've been meaning to go to the Cheese Importer for a while now, but I never seemed to be in the area. Or, more accurately, I'd be near Longmont but zipping past it, on my way to a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park or a visit with family in Ft. Collins. Even growing up, I only stopped in Longmont if I hit a red light while driving between Ft. Collins and Boulder.

But, after a friend raved about the store's cheese selection, I decided that I needed to check it out. And so, rather than driving by, through, or around Longmont, I made my first ever trip to the town, and to the Cheese Importer.

And, it was worth it. Inside an industrial-looking building on a Longmont parkway is a trove of imported foods and kitchenware. Towards the back of the store is a large refrigerated room full of cheese. And cheese samples.

Cheese Importer carries a number of imported cheeses (organized by country of origin), as well as local varieties such as Haystack. This trip, I sampled bits of cheese with made with port and cheese dotted with with cranberries. After some deliberation, I bought a beautiful chunk of creamy mango-ginger stilton (pictured above, about $9 for 8 ounces) -- basically, like a fantastic mango-ginger-laced cheesecake. I also bought some gruyere (same price range) and a block of rBGH-free cheddar cheese ($3.99 for 8 ounces), which will make their way into beer cheese soup this weekend.

Cheese Importer33 South Pratt Parkway (just north of the intersection of Ken Pratt Blvd and Pratt Parkway)Longmont CO303-772-9599